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Over-the-top hype is toxic! If you give in to it, you’re potentially setting your dream vacation up for failure. The fact is, no vacation spot or tourist site is exactly as you see shared on social media. There’s a pretty sizeable gap between the gorgeous illusions posted online and the atmosphere you get when you finally visit the place in person.

Getting to finally see that difference in quality and vibe is truly eye-opening. Our team at Bored Panda has collected some of the most egregious differences between what social media promises and what reality delivers, from all over the internet. Scroll down for a big taste of social media versus reality.

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    #3

    Couple in a red dress and coat posing on a rooftop overlooking a city, showcasing Instagram vs reality travel moments.

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    ArchangelLoki
    Community Member
    3 days ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Okay I love this one. Its hilarious. The seagull in the back of the second picture. It's expression is pure "what ya gonna do about it, mate?"

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    Paris Syndrome is the phenomenon where you feel extremely disappointed when you visit any overhyped destination.

    To put it bluntly, your expectations are so high that there is no way that you can end up content.

    You end up incredibly disappointed when you see what reality—with all of its noise and messiness, grit and grime—is truly like.

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    Looking at photos and videos of your dream destinations on social media can be a ton of fun.

    However, you shouldn’t forget that they’re heavily curated, edited, and editorialized snapshots of reality. Just like you shouldn’t make assumptions about the lives of influencers and celebrities as shared online, so too you shouldn’t mistake the glitz and glamor of tourist spots for 100% reality.

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    #8

    Instagram vs reality travel moment showing scenic rocky river with calm water versus rushing rapids and different outfits.

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    Lady Perkele
    Community Member
    3 days ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    icelander here, it is deep turquoise as the first picture when the sky is blue and there is sun, if you come outside summer months will always be gray and rough.

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    In short, what you see isn’t quite what you get. People tend to want to show the best version of themselves online.

    That’s a natural instinct. We want to be liked, adored, respected, and looked up to. However, if that desire for love and admiration gets out of hand, it can lead to a person taking their online persona too far.

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    #11

    Crystal-clear beach in Mallorca with tourists versus reality showing littered shore, highlighting Instagram vs reality travel moments.

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    Zena
    Community Member
    3 days ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    If every influencer/wannabe removed one piece of trash for each picture they take (not what they post, but the entire roll that they take), in addition to hauling out their own debris, the problem would not exist.

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    Those influencers might be driven to create the illusion of the perfect life they live, when they might, in fact, be nowhere near perfection.

    So, they hype their activities and trips up. They present every location they visit as something that is beyond awesome. Wow! 11 out of 10! Must see!

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    And, sure, those tourist spots might genuinely be great. But when you hype yourself up too much, you increase the chance of disappointing yourself because you expect something even grander. All because ‘great’ isn’t ‘perfect.’

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    #14

    Instagram vs reality travel moment at Fuxi Mountain, Henan showing a staircase with different perspectives and visitors.

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    Mel in Georgia
    Community Member
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    3 days ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    That stairway to heaven looks really unsafe - ensuring a good chance you'll get there.

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    #15

    Couple exploring a rocky cave in Instagram vs reality travel moments shared by 50 people on a sunny day.

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    Petra Peitsch
    Community Member
    3 days ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Wow, SHOCKING, that you are not alone in a touristy place! You want that very photo? Wait your turn in the line, and use the filters.

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    Keeping your expectations in check is one of the best pieces of travel advice that we’d give anyone. It’s good to have standards. It’s good to want to have a quality experience. But one of the main pros and cons of travel is that there’s a lot of unpredictability and nuance involved.

    Things aren’t black or white. There are lots of shades of gray. Good experiences that are a bit rough and chaotic. Bad experiences that, nonetheless, are pleasurable in small ways.

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    It’s always advisable to keep an open mind and be flexible. And it’s healthier to keep your expectations low(er) instead of high(er). Again: wanting quality is good. Being enthusiastic about your trip is good (travel is cool!).

    But hype is the careless destroyer of otherwise quality experiences. In short, you have to remember that many influencers can use timing and angles (and Photoshop!) to their advantage. They can make tourist destinations look far better than they are.

    #19

    Split image showing a scenic travel destination at sunset versus crowded tourists capturing the moment on their phones.

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    StrangeOne
    Community Member
    3 days ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I've watched walking tours of Santorini. It looks nice but crowded af. Some parts are a claustrophobes nightmare.

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    With that in mind, it’s even more important that you research the destinations you want to travel to.

    The best antidote to hype is, well, the truth. Read some news articles, scroll through some photos on Google, skim some travel blogs.

    Try to see what those oh-so-utterly-perfect tourist spots look like from other perspectives. That should help you set more realistic expectations.

    #24

    Side-by-side comparison of Instagram vs reality travel moments showing natural coastal landscapes and clear blue waters.

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    StrangeOne
    Community Member
    3 days ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Sun angles and cloud coverage. There are photographers who know just when to take to photos based on the weather and time of day. They plan it out, and set up their camera just so. If done just right there's no need for filters. Filters does the work of months and months of a professional photographer's labour of yore.

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    Like it or not, people tend to compare themselves to other folks. Including people who have massive followings on social media.

    However, you can seriously harm your mental health and develop self-esteem issues if you constantly compare yourself to influencers. When you constantly read between the lines that you’re ‘not good enough’ while everyone else is living such a happy, rich, whatever else life, it gnaws at you.

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    A good rule of thumb is to reduce the amount of time you spend on social media if you find yourself constantly exhausted, drained, and anxious after using it. It’s fine to enjoy it in small quantities.

    Nobody’s telling you to be a Luddite and live like a hermit with no tech. However, it becomes an issue when your daily life suffers from internet and social media addiction.

    It’s also worrying if you feel that you can’t make any serious decisions without first seeing what your favorite influencers and celebrities would advise.

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    Which of these social media versus reality comparisons shocked you the most? What have been the most disappointing tourist spots you’ve visited in person? On the other hand, what are some destinations that have pleasantly surprised you?

    Where do you plan to travel to in the near future, dear Pandas? What do you do to avoid overhyping yourself? We’d love to hear all about your trips! Tell us all about your travels in the comments section, at the very bottom of this list.

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    #34

    Comparison of Instagram vs reality travel moments showing scenic flowers and a contrasting muddy, trash-filled area.

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    Mel in Georgia
    Community Member
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    3 days ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Well yeah. Why would you post a picture of trash? There's beauty and ugliness everywhere. Would much rather see the beautiful stuff.

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    #39

    Rusty shipwreck on a pristine beach vs crowded tourist spot showing Instagram vs reality travel moments.

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    Peppy
    Community Member
    3 days ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    That’s shipwreck beach Zakinthos, after a landslide from the cliffs it’s now off limits to people, bet the turtles are praising their turtley gods 🙏

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    #41

    Side-by-side comparison of Bali travel moments showing Instagram vs reality scenes with a pool and a construction site

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    Zena
    Community Member
    3 days ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    OMG Do you mean that these amazing resorts in Bali don't occur naturally, but are CONSTRUCTED by PEOPLE! And that this doesn't occur magically during the wee hours, but during the actual daytime when tourists might SEE them?! Shocked, I am! Utterly shocked!

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    #42

    Instagram vs reality travel moments showing the Pyramids of Giza and the surrounding town with daily life details in Egypt.

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    Zena
    Community Member
    3 days ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    These pictures would be more impactful if the picture actually showed the pyramids in relation to the town.

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    #44

    Tourists visiting the Taj Mahal showing Instagram vs reality travel moments with fewer people and a crowded scene.

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    Lexi
    Community Member
    3 days ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I went first thing in the morning when there were less people but it's a highly popular place so less people just means you can move without squeezing past people. It was getting pretty crowded as we were heading out of there

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    #48

    Woman enjoying clear water labeled Instagram vs crowded beach reality scene showing travel moments comparison.

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    Zena
    Community Member
    3 days ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Pretty sure there are people on the beach in the instagram photo, too. Not sure what the point of this is.

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